[[Image:Ncvjgfu.jpg|right|thumbnail|150px|[[Mao Zedong]]]]Prominent atheists and atheist schools of thought have been or include:
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[[Image:Ncvjgfu.jpg|right|thumbnail|150px|[[Mao Zedong]]]]Prominent holders of the position of atheism and atheist schools of thought have been or include:
* Carvaka school: an atheistic and materialistic offshoot of [[Hinduism]] in the 6th century B.C.
* Carvaka school: an atheistic and materialistic offshoot of [[Hinduism]] in the 6th century B.C.
* Samkhya school: an atheistic school of classical Indian philosophy, originating in the 6th century B.C.
* Samkhya school: an atheistic school of classical Indian philosophy, originating in the 6th century B.C.